Atout France SMARTguide

THEME HOLIDAYS / “SAVOIR-FAIRE TOURISM”
“Savoirfaire”
Tourism
Marseille’s soaps, Limoge’s
porcelain, perfumes of Provence,
Guérande sea salt or the collections
of the fashion houses in Paris…
just some random examples of the
immense diversity of French knowhow,
or “savoir-faire”. With France’s
reputation for excellence already
renowned around the globe and
the image of France as a nation of
luxury and “art de vivre”, greatly
contributing to the nation’s appeal,
many a visitor comes today to
investigate the techniques, skills,
traditions and functions of a craft or
industrial sector; through workshop
and enterprise visits.
USPs
• Caters to all types of travellers:
individual and groups, young and old,
groups of friends and family guests.
• Very broad diversity of the sectors of
activity concerned and geographical
locations.
• An authentic experience, including
discovery of the territory and
encounters with the locals; an
original and lively way to discover
France.
HARVESTING SALT FROM THE SEA
Welcome to the heart of the salt marshes,
where professionals take you discover
how the famous Guérande salt forms and
is harvested. The guides – salt workers
themselves – speak with a passion for
their work and offer 15 different tours
according to the desires of the visitor:
family walks for all ages, guided theme
EDF –
MARCKOLSHEIM
HYDRAULIC POWER
STATION
walks, hiking in the heart of the Marais...
Meeting with a “paludier” (salt worker)
proud of his “flower of salt”, sharing
recipes, or walking with a naturalist
guide - great connoisseur of edible plants
and an expert on birds - who come by the
thousands to the Guerande peninsula…
All moments of sharing.
© CRTB - BOURCIER Simon
KEY FIGURESS
French art workshops and
businesses attract more than
12-million visitors each
year, including one million
foreigners.
In 2012, more than 5,000
companies opened their
doors to the public in
France. Among them, half are open
to the public throughout the year.
Craft work represents about
20% of visits.
Situated on the Rhine, Markolsheim was,
in 1961, the first “garland” hydroelectric
development (the dam, locks and
hydroelectric plant placed along a short
deviation of the River, and not on its main
course).
The façade of the plant displays a fresco
by the Alsatian artist Daniel Diminsky and
in its engine room we find a monumental
fresco by Paul Clair. Outside, a gazebo
allows operators to overlook the locks,
through which around 16,000 boats pass
per year. Lifting one’s eyes skywards,
Falcons Kestrels, Jackdaw and Swallows
can be seen nesting in the station’s
buildings...
The visit allows the visitor to understand
the history of the development of the
Rhine -- how hydroelectric operation
and navigation can live side-by-side, and
to learn more about the environmental
measures being deployed by EDF (#1
producer of electricity in France – and the
world), to protect the biodiversity of the
river and the island of Marckolsheim.
france.fr
France: Destinations to (re)discover 15